So a few years ago, on my old computer, I fiddled around with the system settings and made it so that almost EVERY non-active window, regardless the application becomes transparent when inactive. After years of being annoyed by this while watching movies and surfing the web, I decided to try and fix it.

The only problem is that I have no idea what I did to get it this way to begin with, cannot find any software anywhere, and so on- though I did find it interesting that the rule was carried onto my new computer while migrating systems- so clearly the code/app is in here… somewhere.

My question is - any idea how the hell I can go back to a world of opaque windows?! Any magic kill switch codes?

I know there are perhaps far too many variables to even come to a conclusion, but thought I'd give it a try.

Were you using a program like WindowShadeX/Afloat/SetAlphaValue or was it via manual Terminal commands?

Edit: I just saw you don't remember, but maybe seeing the names will jog your memory. You can try installing those apps and try switching off window transparency perhaps? When you migrated, did you use Time Machine or what? The other fix I can think of is just migrate your personal files/applications and not the system folders, as those settings are most likely in system folders or a system preferences pref.pane type thing.

I tried Afloat to see if it would override or effect the values but the windows stayed the same. Something tells me that I used terminal, as I like to randomly pretend that I know things like that and experiment with things.

I used migration assistant when I migrated from a time machine back up, so that would explain the copy. I think you're right with just migrating the files/apps- do you think deleting the system .plist would have a similar effect? That is, of course if that is such a thing and doing so won't make the computer implode...

I tried Afloat to see if it would override or effect the values but the windows stayed the same. Something tells me that I used terminal, as I like to randomly pretend that I know things like that and experiment with things.

I used migration assistant when I migrated from a time machine back up, so that would explain the copy. I think you're right with just migrating the files/apps- do you think deleting the system .plist would have a similar effect? That is, of course if that is such a thing and doing so won't make the computer implode...

Back up the file somewhere else before continuing.
The next bit you do at your own risk, but apparently this key doesn't exist to begin with.
Do a search for <key>alphaValue</key>. If it's there, delete <key>alphaValue</key> and the following bit between <dict> and </dict> (should contain a key called alph and some other things maybe).
It'd be a very good idea to back up the file first in case you need to restore it.

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